Saltburn Cliff Tramway will not reopen at Easter after fire

Newly released pictures show the extent of the damage to the much loved attraction and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council (RCBC) haveprovided more information on the state of the Grade II listed building’s interior and its operating equipment resulting from the blaze on January 15.

They added the electrical pump room was one of the most affected areas, and that a full rewire would be required.

There had been hopes it might re-open in time for Easter, but the damage is such that it won’t be repaied in time and no reopening date has been set.

Councillor Carrie Richardson, RCBC’s deputy leader, said teams are continuing to work to ensure the attraction can reopen “as soon as possible”.

She said: “We regret that damage caused by a major fire to the much-loved and hugely popular Saltburn Tramway is extensive with serious internal damage to the building and operating equipment, especially the electrical pump room.

“A full rewire will be needed along with careful restoration of this grade-listed structure. Our teams are continuing to work hard on a plan to make sure the Tramway reopens as soon as possible.

“However, this is likely to take some time and, although we can’t put a date on reopening at this time, it will not be this Easter.

“We look forward to reopening the tramway when it is restored to its full glory and ready for future generations to enjoy. We will continue to keep our residents and visitors informed.”

Cleveland Fire Brigade were called to Saltburn at about 10.30am on January 15, following reports of smoke coming from the building at the bottom of the tramway. Smoke could be seen billowing out of the door of the building.

RCBC later confirmed the fire was the result of an “electrical issue" and thanked firefighters for bringing the blaze under control.

The tramway had been closed for winter maintenance and the council confirmed no one was injured in the fire.

Councillor Alec Brown, leader of the RCBC, said at the time: “The attraction is very close to the hearts of many, and the efforts of the firefighters were greatly appreciated.

“The cause of the fire is believed to be from an electrical issue, though further investigations into how this happened will continue.

“The attraction was already closed due to winter maintenance and thankfully no one was hurt from the incident.

“Unfortunately, the damage to the station has been quite extensive. At this stage, it’s too early to say whether this will affect the opening date, which was expected for Easter, but we will keep the public notified of developments.”

Here are some more pictures from the fire: